Nature Recovery Rotherham is a call to action for individuals, families, local businesses, organisations, schools and colleges. Everyone depends on nature, so we can all take action to help.
As well as a climate crisis, our wildlife is facing a critical emergency. More than one in 10 of over 8,000 species assessed in the 2019 State of Nature Report are at risk of extinction and 41% of species in the UK are in decline.
On Tuesday 16th November, Nature Recovery Rotherham held its first meeting online to introduce the group to people in Rotherham and provide information about why nature needs your help and what we can all do for nature’s recovery. There was a great turnout and this sparked conversations with communities such as Dearne Valley College, Rotherham Interfaith Group, Wickersley Northfield Primary School and individuals who work in the environment sector as their day job and want to help their local wildlife in Rotherham. You can view a recording of the event on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Gf7SVFi_1_k.
As well as taking practical steps to help nature, Nature Recovery Rotherham plans to declare a Nature Emergency for Rotherham on 23rd March 2022, as a way of raising awareness and influencing Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council to do even more to help nature. This worked well in Sheffield in May 2021, and the organisers hope the declaration will have a positive impact.
Helen Francis is the coordinator of Rotherham Climate Action and a trustee of Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust. She said: “It’s great to be working on Nature Recovery Rotherham as not only has it given us more focus as a group, but it helps to tackle the nature emergency which I wasn’t aware of myself until learning more about it.
“The residents of Rotherham connect to nature in their own way and this is our opportunity, together, to ensure nature is at the forefront of our activities and decision making within Rotherham, and we hope RMBC can work with us on this too. The impact we have had already from residents and community groups has been amazing and we’ve only just started this journey so I’m excited for what’s to come over the coming months.”
To add your voice to the declaration of a nature emergency in Rotherham and find out how you can help nature, go to www.rotherhamclimateaction.co.uk/nature-recovery.
Attend one of the groups’ online events:
Mothers CAN online meeting
Wednesday 23rd February, 8.00pm to 9.30pm
Joint venture with Mothers’ Climate Action Network who support parents to make positive changes on climate in their local communities.
Register at https://actionnetwork.org/events/rotherham-mothers-can-meet-with-rotherham-climate-action/.
How to… finish with fast fashion
Monday 28th February, 7.00pm to 8.30pm
Bookable via Eventbrite – find links on www.rotherhamclimateaction.co.uk.
Hedgehog event
Thursday 3rd March, evening (time to be confirmed)
With key speakers Hugh Warwick and Jo Wilkinson
Bookable via Eventbrite – find links on www.rotherhamclimateaction.co.uk.